Deceleration device



Dec. 12, 1967 w. J. HILDEBIRANDT ETAL 3,357,518

DECELERA'IION DEVICE Filed May 26. 1965 ATTORNEY ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device having a rapidly moving load member and a deceleration device which stops the movement of the load member and absorbs the forces generated by its deceleration to prevent damage to the mechanism or apparatus in which the load member moves.

This invention relates generally to a deceleration device and, more particularly, to a device for imparting a rapid linear velocity to a body and then decelerating and stopping the body without shock and with a minimum of wear.

Apparatuses employed in various types of machinery usually include a load member which must rapidly be moved along a predetermined path and then be brought to a stop quickly so that the load member is located in a predetermined position. One such mechanism is employed in automatic print-out machines wherein the specific one of a plurality of characters to be printed-out is determined by the distance a member moves from a home or a rest position. It is obvious that if a device of this type is utilized to print characters on, for example, parimutuel tickets at a racetrack, then the overall speed of the machinery is important. For this reason, it is necessary that the machine be able to move the member which controls the positioning of the characters at a relatively high velocity and to quickly and efilciently bring the member to a stop once it has reached that predetermined position corresponding to the positioning of the character to be printed out; it being understood that the member is movable to one of a plurality of different positions, depending upon which character is to be printed.

Thus, it is desirable to move the character positioning control member or load member in such machines at a velocity of approximately forty inches per second. When doing this, it is not economically feasible to gradually accelerate and decelerate the load member since this would require a relatively long path of travel for the member and would measurably increase the time of operation of the machine. Accordingly, the rapidly moving load member is brought to a dead stop by means of a stop pin which is engaged by the member at some point along its path of travel. However, the forces which are produced by the almost instantaneous deceleration and dead stopping of the moving member are of sufficient magnitude to break the mechanism. Additionally, the deceleration forces will quickly produce excessive wear of the operable parts of the machine which will necessitate constant maintenance and repair.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a deceleration device for a load member which will rapidly move the load member and which will practically instantaneously stop the load member.

A further object of the present invention is to pro- States Patent vide a deceleration device as noted above which will absorb the forces generated by the rapid deceleration of the load member.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a deceleration device which is economical to manufacture, which requires little maintenance and which is simple to repair.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention reside in the structures and arrangements hereinafter more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a machine having a plurality of load members and a deceleration device constructed according to the present invention,

FIGS. 2A to 2H are front elevational views illustrating the sequential operations of the deceleration device, and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front elevational view illustrating the details of the deceleration member shown in FIGS. 2A to 2H in the bail wire-engaged position.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a portion of a machine (not shown) which includes a plurality of load members 10 positioned adjacent or in a row alongside each other. The load members 10 are adapted to be moved in either a forward direction 12 or a rearward direction 13, as indicated by the arrows, by a moving means or bail wire 14. Normally, the load members 10 are in a home or inactive or at-rest position 13 which corresponds to their locations at the rearmost leftward extent of their travel. In practice, and when employed in a racetrack pari-mutuel ticket issuing machine, each of the load members 10 may be connected to a different print wheel (not shown) which has a plurality of printing characters thereon. The print wheels may be connected to the associated member 10 to rotate in such a manner that the distance between the home position 13 of the particular member 10 and its extended forward position 12 will cause a desired character to be aligned in a print-out position.

In accordance with the present invention, a different or separate deceleration device, designated generally by the numeral 16, is provided for each load member 10. The respective deceleration devices 16 rapidly move their associated or respective load members 10 to the desired position to decelerate the member and absorb the forces generated by the deceleration, thereby reducing wear on the operable elements.

The deceleration device 16 includes a common bail wire or mover 14 which is, in turn, releasably connected to each one of the plurality of load members 10 by a respective deceleration member 22. The bail Wire 14 is reciprocated forwardly and rearwardly with a constant linear velocity by external means (not shown) of known construction. Since each one of the plurality of deceleration members 22 is substantially identical, only one such member and its associated supporting structure will be described in detail.

The deceleration member 22 (FIGS. 2A2H) is pivotably mounted on the front of its respective load member 10 for movement between a bail engaged and a bail disengaged position. More particularly, the deceleration member 22 includes an open-ended cam slot 24- (FIG. 3) which receives and retains the bail wire 14 therein. The surfaces of the slot 24 are curved so that the slot curves inwardly and upwardly toward the load member when the deceleration member 22 is in its bail disen gaged position, as shown in FIG. 2H. A rounded portion 26 defines the closed end of the slot 24. The surfaces 28 and 30 respectively located adjacent the open end or mouth of the slot 24 are rounded to facilitate the reception of the bailwire 14 into the slot and release therefrom.

The deceleration member 22 is provided with an openended cam slot 34 which extends downwardly from about the top edge of the deceleration member when the member is in the bail disengaged position, as shown in FIG. 2H. The purpose of the slot 34 is explained in detail hereinbelow. The walls 38 and 40 define the slot 34 and are respectively provided with arcuate and straight surfaces; the wall 38 extends above or beyond the wall 40 when the member 22 is in the bail disengaged position.

A pair of links 44 and 46 connect the respective deceleration members 22 with their associated load members 10 for linear movement therewith and pivotal movement with respect thereto. More specifically, the bottom short link 44 is pivotably connected to the member 10 by a pin 48 and to the deceleration member 22 by a pivot pin 50. One end of the upper link 46 is pivotably connected to the member 22 by a pin 60. The other end of the link 46 is provided with longitudinally spaced elongated slots 52 and 54 which respectively engage the rivets 56 and 58 on the load member 10. Thus, the link 46 is movable with the member 10 and is slidable between an extended position (wherein the rivets 56 and 58 respectively abut the left ends of the slots 52 and 54) and a retracted position (wherein the rivets 56 and 58 abut the right ends of the slots 52 and 54) with respect to themernber 10.

A resilient bumper 62, preferably composed of rubber, is mounted on a stationary member (not shown) and is positioned to engage and be abutted by the rear edge of the link 46 to move this link to its fully extended position when the load member 10 is in the home position 13.

A bank of stop pins, designated generally by the numeral 20, is positioned above the load member 10. The bank 18 comprises a housing 19 in which is contained a plurality of laterally spaced rows or sets of elongated stop pins 20. Each one of the rows of stop pins 20 is aligned and adapted to cooperate with a respective one of the deceleration devices 16. That is, the plurality of stop pins 20 in any one row are individually and selectively operable to be depressed to extend or project down beneath and beyond the underside of the housing 19. Moreover, the pins 20 are positioned so that the depressed pin will project substantially below the remaining pins 20 in its same row and well into the path of travel ofits respective one of the deceleration members 22 of the devices 16.

The operation of the deceleration devices 16 of the present invention may best be understood by reference to FIGS. 2A to 2H. FIG. 2A illustrates the positions of the operable elements when the load member 10 is at rest or in the home position 13. Accordingly, the rear edge of the link 46 abuts the bumper 62 so that the link is in the extended position. The mover or bail wire 14 is retained within the slot 24 of the member 22 when the same is in its normal position. The slot 24 is directed downwardly with the mouth thereof so positioned. When the machine is operated, only one of the stop pins 20 in each set is selectively operated so it is depressed below the housing 19 to the exclusion of the other pins. A constant linear velocity is imparted to the bail wire 14 that is engaged within the almost vertically directed slot 24. This causes the respective deceleration member 22 and the associated link connected load member 10 to move forwardly in the direction of the movement 64 of the mover or bail. That is, the bail 14 will exert a horizontal moving force ,64 on the member 22 and, since the axis of the slot 24 is transverse to their applied force, the respective members 22 move with the bail. The link 44, in substantial horizontal alignment with the bail 14, pulls the load member 10 with the bail. Despite the force of movement exerted by the bail on the member 22, there is no disengagement of the hail from the deceleration member until such time as its tooth 34 is restrained by an engagement with one of its stop pins 26 and a turning movement is applied to the member 22.

Each load member 10 is moved forward a predetermined distance. This distance of movement is predeterminately controlled by the depressed selection or operation of one of the stop pins 20 in its respective set of pins. Thus, as the deceleration devices move forwardly under the influence of the common mover 14, the upwardly protruding arcuate surface 38 strikes the selectively operated stop pin 20 extended into its path (FIG. 2B). The continued forward movement of the bail wire 14 causes the member 22 to tend to move with it. However, because of the engagement of its surface 30 with the depressed stop pin 20, and acting under the influence of the continued movement of the bail 14, the member 22 is caused to pivot about the pivot pins and 60. Simultaneously, this causes the link 46 to slide rearwardly toward the retracted position on the associated load member 10 (FIGS. 2C to 2F).

Still acting under the influence of the forward movement of the bail 14, the deceleration member 22, being stopped in its forward movement by its engagement with the operated stop pin 20, continues its pivoting rotation about the engaged stop pin as is illustrated in FIGS. 2B to 2F. During this pivoting movement of the deceleration member 22, the link 46 continues to move toward its fully retracted position to the left or in the direction of the arrow 13 until such time as the righthand end of the elongated slots 52 and 54 of the link 46 abut the stop rivets 56 and 58 respectively. At that time, the deceleration member 22 is in the position as illustrated in FIG. 26 wherein the open end or mouth of the bail receiving slot 24 is positioned substantially horizontally enabling the bail wire or mover 14 to move fully outward from the walls of the slot and to be released from engagement therewith and with the deceleration member 22.

In this way, the selectively operated stop pin 20, now received in the slot34, influences the deceleration of the deceleration member 22 and actually stops the same and its respective load member 10 in the desired position along the path of movement of the load member 10. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that during the deceleration pivoting movement or motion of the deceleration member 22about the engaged stop pin 20 and relative to its load member 10, such pivotal motion partially absorbs the forces generated by the rapid stopping and deceleration of the members 10 and 22. Additional portions of the forces are divided between and absorbed by the engaged stop pin 20 and the bail 14 that absorbs the kinetic energy held by the parts. Recognizably, the actuation of any one of the stop pins 20 in the set of pins for each of the respective deceleration devices 16 will cause the preselected stopping and positioning of the load member 10 along its path of movement so that the position at which the load member 10 stops is controlled by the respective stop pin 20 that is actuated and dropped into the path of the deceleration member 22.

After the bail or mover 14 has left the confines of the slot 24,"it continues along its path of movement. In practice, when more than one load 10 and deceleration device 16 is utilized, the bail 14 may disengage or be released from the respective cam, slot 24 of each of the members 22 at different points along its full travel, depending upon which stop pins 20 have been actuated into the paths of their respective members 22. However, the mover 14 traverses a path of sufficient length to cause all the deceleration devices 22 to move the full distance of their respective set of stop pins.

When the bail wire 14 has moved to the end of its travel (FIG. 2H), it then reverses its direction and moves in the direction opposite to that of the arrow 64. Now the sequence of operations of the deceleration device will n) be reversed, as shown in FIGS. 2H to 2A. That is, the bail wire 14 re-enters the slot 24. Due to the curvature of the slot 24, the deceleration member 22 rotates about the pins 50 and 60 and disengages itself from the extended pin 20 while pivoting to the rear, as shown in FIGS. 2H to 2C. During this return motion, the load member is returned to its home or inactive position. When it reaches its home position, the link 46 strikes the bumper 62 and is moved forward to its fully extended position (FIG. 2A) so that the bail wire 14 is firmly received in the high position of the slot 24. The depressed pin is reset by appropriate means (not shown) and the machine is ready to be used for another operation. The acceleration of the stationary pieces to bail velocity is likewise controlled by the linkage 44 and so no shock forces are generated in the return operation.

While the operation of only One deceleration device 16 and its associated load member 10 has been described, it will be apparent that the operation of all the devices is similar with the exception that different ones of the stop pins 20 may be operated. Further, although in the present disclosure greater stress has been laid on the deceleration aspects, this has been done only to enable a clearer explanation of the invention. The invention is equally adaptable as a deceleration absorber to remove and alleviate the shock of engagement of the bail 14 with the member 22 on the acceleration of the same on the return or resetting stroke.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

We claim:

1. A deceleration device for a load member movable in a predetermined path, said device comprising a moving means for moving said load member,

and a deceleration member connected with said load member and movable therewith,

said deceleration member including means operable to engage said moving means to move said load member and said deceleration member with said moving means and operable to release its engagement with said moving means to stop the movement of said load member and said deceleration member at a preselected point in the path of travel of said load member and said moving means and to permit the continued movement of said moving means in its path of travel.

2. A deceleration device as in claim 1,

and stop means,

said stop means and said deceleration member being engageable to operate said included means to disengage said moving means for stopping the movement of said load member and said deceleration member at said preselected point in the path of travel of said load member.

3. A deceleration device for a load member movable in a predetermined path, said device comprising a moving means for moving the load member,

a deceleration member,

and means connecting said deceleration member to said load member for linear movement therewith and pivotal movement with respect thereto,

said deceleration member including means for engaging said moving means to move said load and said deceleration member therewith and to disengage said moving means during the movement thereof upon pivotal movement of said deceleration member to provide for the stopping of said load member and said deceleration member at a predetermined point in the path of travel of said load member and in the path of continued movement of said moving means.

4. A deceleration device for a load member movable in a predetermined path, said device comprising linearly moving means,

a deceleration member,

means for connecting said deceleration member to said load member for movement therewith and pivotal movement with respect thereto whereby said deceleration member is pivotable between a first and a second position,

first means on said deceleration member cooperatively engageable with said moving means when the deceleration member is in said first position for engaging said moving means to move said deceleration member and said load member and for releasing said moving means when said deceleration member is in said second position,

stop means in the path of travel of said members,

and second means on said deceleration member positioned to engage said stop means for pivoting said deceleration member to said second position to release said moving means.

5. A device for a load member movable in a predetermined path, said device comprising a pivotal member for said load member for stopping the movement of said load member and for absorbing forces due to the movement of the load member by pivotal movement with respect thereto,

a pair of links connecting said pivotal member with said load member for linear movement therewith and pivotal movement thereto,

means connecting one of said links to said load member for sliding movement thereto,

and means connecting the other of said links to said load member for pivotal movement thereto.

6. A device as in claim 5,

and moving means,

first means on said pivotal member engageable with said moving means to move said load member and said pivotal member,

stop means,

and second means on said pivotal member engageable with said stop means to stop the movement of said load member and said pivotal member at a predetermined point in the path of travel of said members.

7. A deceleration device for stopping a moving load member, said device including a deceleration member,

link means for connecting said deceleration member to said load member for movement therewith,

said link means connects said deceleration means for pivotal movement with respect to said load member to cause said deceleration member to pivot relative to said stop means and absorb the forces caused by the deceleration of the members,

and stop means in the path of travel of said members,

said deceleration member having means engageable with said stop means to decelerate and stop the movement of the load member.

8. A deceleration device as in claim 7,

and moving means,

means on said deceleration member engageable with said moving means for moving said deceleration member and said load member.

9. A deceleration device for a load member movable in a predetermined path comprising a bail wire having a constant velocity in said predetermined path,

a deceleration member connected with said load member for movement therewith along said path and pivotal movement between a first and a second position relative thereto,

an open-ended bail wire-receiving slot in said deceleration member positioned to retain said bail wire there in when said deceleration member is in said first position to move said members with a constant velocity along said path and to release said bail wire from said slot when said deceleration member is pivoted to said second position,

a stop pin in the path of travel of said members,

and means on said deceleration member having an arcuate surface engageable with said pin to cause the pivoting of said deceleration member, to said second position upon continued movement of said bail wire along said path to release said bail wire and stop the members.

10. A deceleration device comprising a bail having a constant linear velocity,

a deceleration member adapted to be connected to a load to be decelerated and movable between a first and a second position,

a bail-receiving slot in said deceleration member positioned to retain said bail therein to move said member when said member is in said first position and to release said member from said slot when said member is in said second position,

a plurality of elongated stop pins individually and selectively operable to extend into the path of travel of said deceleration member,

and means on said deceleration member engageable with an operated stop pin to move said member to the second position to stop said member.

11. A deceleration device for a load member movable in a linear path comprising a bail wire having a constant linear velocity,

a deceleration member,

a pair of links connecting said deceleration member with said load member for linear movement therewith and pivotal movement between a first and a second position with respect to said load member,

one of said links being pivotally connected to the load and deceleration members and the other of said links being pivotally connected to the deceleration member and slidably connected to the load member,

an open-ended bail Wire-receiving slot in said deceleration member sized and positioned to retain said bail wire therein when said deceleration member is in said first position to move said members with a constant linear velocity and to release said bail wire from said slot when said deceleration member is in said second position,

a plurality of elongated stop pins individually and selectively operable to extend into the path of travel of said members,

and means on said deceleration member having an arcaute surface engageable with an operated stop pin to pivot said deceleration member to said second position upon continued linear movement of said bail Wire to release said bail Wire from said slot and to stop the members and absorb the forces generated by the deceleration of the members.

12. A plurality of deceleration devices;

a like plurality of load members each movable in a predetermined path;

each of said deceleration devices being associated with a respective load member;

moving means for moving each of said deceleration devices and their respective load member,

means connecting each deceleration device with its respective load member and for movement therewith, each of said deceleration devices including means for engaging the moving means to move the load means and its respective deceleration device and to disengage the moving means at a predetermined point in the path of travel of the load member to permit the continued movement of said moving means.

13. A plurality of devices each for a respective one of a like plurality of load members movable in respective predetermined paths;

each of said devices including a respective pivotal member for absorbing forces due to the movement of the associated load member by pivotal movement with respect thereto,

a pair of links connecting each pivotal member with its respective load member for linear movement therewith and pivotal movement thereto,

one of the pair of links having sliding movement relative to its respective load member, and the other of said links having pivotal movement relative to its respective load member.

14. A plurality of deceleration devices as in claim 13,

and moving means,

first means on the respective pivotal member engageable with said moving means to move its respective load member therewith,

stop means for respective ones of said pivotal members,

and second means on said pivotal members engageable with said respective stop means to stop the movement of said pivotal member and its respective load member at a predetermined point in the path of movement of said load member.

15. A plurality of deceleration devices comprising a common bail wire having a constant linear velocity,

deceleration members adapted to decelerate a load,

each of said deceleration members being movable between a first and a second position,

a bail wire-receiving slot in each of said deceleration members positioned to retain the bail wire therein to move the deceleration member when said deceleration member is in its first position and to release the bail wire from the slot when said deceleration memher is in its second position,

a plurality of sets of stop pins each set of which is associated with a respective one of said deceleration members,

the stop pins in each of said sets being individually and selectively operable to extend into the path of travel of their respective deceleration members,

and means on the respective deceleration members engageable with an operated stop pin to cause its respective deceleration member to move to its second position to stop the movement of said deceleration member.

16. A plurality of deceleration devices;

a pluigality of load members movable in predetermined pat 5;

each of said deceleration devices being associated with a respective load member;

each of said deceleration devices comprising a common bail wire having a constant linear velocity,

a deceleration member,

a pair of links connecting each of the deceleration members with their respective load members for linear movement therewith and pivotal movement relative thereto between a first and a second position,

one of said links being pivotally connected between said load and deceleration members,

the other of said links being pivotally connected to said deceleration member and slidably connected to its respective load member,

an open-ended bail wire-receiving slot in each of said deceleration members,

said slot being sized and positioned to retain said bail wire engaged with said deceleration member when the deceleration member is in its first position to move said load and deceleration members with a constant linear velocity and to release the bail wire engagement with said deceleration member when said deceleration member is in its second position,

a plurality of sets of elongated stop pins each for a respective deceleration member,

said stop pins in each of said sets being individually 10 and selectively operable to extend into the path of to absorb the forces generated by the deceleration of travel of its respective deceleration member, aid members. and means on each of said deceleration members hav- References Ciied ing an arcuate surface engageable with an operated UNI S A PA stop pin in its respective set of stop pins to cause said 5 1,826,498 10/1931 Bignen 226 139 X deceleration member to pivot to said second position 2,838,137 6/1958 Wanerstein 188 1 upon continued linear movement of the bail wire to 2843223 3/1958 Birchler it al 226 141 X release the bail wire from the slot to stop the load member and its respective deceleration member and DUANE A. REGER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DECELERATION DEVICE FOR A LOAD MEMBER MOVABLE IN A PREDETERMINED PATH, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A MOVING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID LOAD MEMBER, AND A DECELERATION MEMBER CONNECTED WITH SAID LOAD MEMBER AND MOVABLE THEREWITH, SAID DECELERATION MEMBER INCLUDING MEANS OPERABLE TO ENGAGE SAID MOVING MEANS TO MOVE SAID LOAD MEMBER AND SAID DECELERATION MEMBER WITH SAID MOVING MEANS AND OPERABLE TO RELEASE ITS ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID MOVING MEANS TO STOP THE MOVEMENT OF SAID LOAD MEMBER AND SAID DECELERATION MEMBER AT A PRESELECTED POINT IN THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF SAID LOAD MEMBER AND SAID MOVING MEANS AND TO PERMIT THE CONTINUED MOVEMENT OF SAID MOVING MEANS IN ITS PATH OF TRAVEL. 